Sandcastles
by Coldtoes22
Summary: GSR. Takes place about six months after 8x07. Oneshot. Grissom and Sara meet up after she's been away. Sadly, no smut this time.


A/N: GSR. Story takes place about six months after 8x07, after Sara leaves Vegas. Feel free to R&R. It's my first fanfic in about five years, so try not to be too harsh. Oneshot.

Disclaimer: I don't own CSI. In fact, I don't own anything bigger than a computer, tv and a couch, so just try and sue me.

Spoilers: 8x07 I guess.

Sandcastles

Sara sat on the beach facing the Pacific ocean, toes buried in the fine, white sand, knees tucked under her chin; watching as the tide slowly went out leaving a strip of cold, damp sand by the water's edge. A breeze carried the smell of moisture and seaweed and salt her way and she pulled her sweater tighter around her, protecting her body from the wind. She took a deep breath, enjoying the scent, something she had missed all those years in Nevada. Still she did not move. She was waiting for him.

The sun had set over the horizon turning the sky shades of pink and purple and overhead, a deep, dark blue glittering with stars. That's how he found her. At the edge of the boardwalk, he took off his shoes and socks, intent on feeling the sand between his toes once again. He walked up behind her slowly, watching her. She looked so small, but relaxed and for the first time in a long time, happy. When he reached her, she turned to him and looked up to see his face. He had a hard time reading her expression in the growing darkness, but the one thing he couldn't miss was her smile.

Grissom sat down beside her, pulling her to him, cradling her on his lap, wrapping his arms around her. It had been almost two weeks since the last time they'd seen each other, last touched each other, and they had missed one another. They both sat, watching the waves crash against the beach, the chill forgotten now that they had each other's body heat to keep warm.

"I missed you." Sara said softly after a few minutes.

Gil smiled, happy to feel her against his chest again and tightened his arms. "I missed you too. I wish I could have come sooner."

"Work is work. I know how it is." Sara was quiet for a moment. "Did you know that the tide is just right for making sandcastles?"

"Sandcastles? Isn't it a little late in the day for that?" He was perplexed.

"I suppose. But think about it. The tide is going out so that leaves lots of sticky, wet sand that's perfect for building. It'll be a few hours before the tide comes back in and washes it all away."

Gil chuckled now. "Is this what you've been doing for the past six months? Making building plans?"

"Among other things," Sara said indignantly. He laughed again, so Sara pinched his forearm. He hugged her tighter, enjoying her good mood. After so many tense months where he watched and denied the fact that she was slowly unraveling due to the anger and pain and fear, it was amazing to see this wonderful, laughing, carefree Sara. He could feel the heavy weight being lifted off his chest and shoulders with her laughter. Maybe this meant they could move on with their lives. Maybe his own pain and fear and loneliness from the past few months could now be forgotten too. He hoped.

"Don't you ever miss the ocean in Nevada, Gil? Miss the salt in the air? Miss the fog?" Her voice sounded wistful and that was when he knew what she was going to say before she next spoke, he had known for months what was coming. He chose his next words carefully.

"Miss the fog? Well, maybe not so much when I'm driving. But I have to admit, there is no sound in the world like the sound of waves breaking on the beach." They both sat and listened to the roar of the ocean. It was almost deafening in their silence. "You're not coming back." It wasn't a question but a statement.

"I can't." It was that simple. "I love my life in Vegas but I can't go back there. Everything's different._I'm_ different even though I tried so hard not to be." She turned in his arms and cupped his face in her hands. "I've been offered a job here in San Francisco. I want to take it, but I told them I had to talk to my husband first." Her thumbs started stroking his cheeks and he felt his body respond. Two weeks had definitely been too long to be apart. He turned his head into her hand until he could feel her pulse under his lips. His tongue darted out, licking her wrist. He could feel her pulse speeding up, matching his own rapid beating heart.

Down the beach they heard the laughing shrieks of teenagers. Gil cleared his throat and looked into her eyes. "Take the job. As long as it makes you happy." He kissed her palm, waiting for the inevitable questions. She wouldn't be Sara after all, without a million questions.

"What about us? I hate being apart, getting only a few days here and there, I don't think I could do that indefinitely. Maybe," she said, voicing her doubts, "maybe it would just be easier to go back to Vegas." She knew in her heart that wherever he went she would follow. These last six months had been hard on her. Sure, she was getting her life back on track, learning to get past the nightmares and the denial and the hurt in her past, and she was grateful that he understood her need to be alone while she figured these things out-even if he didn't like it-but she missed him. Missed his big warm body next to her when she slept. She never did sleep quite as well without him softly snoring by her side, his heavy arm flung over her hip. She missed him when she found a spider in the house and there was no one around to carry it outside. She missed the way he teased her and tickled her and kissed her, the way he got annoyed when she did his Sunday crossword puzzle and his black and white movies he always insisted they watch. Every moment of every day was filled with missing him. No, she decided. She couldn't spend any more months or years or weeks away from him even if it meant moving back to Vegas.

He kissed her palm again and she could feel his warm breath on her hand, sending tingles up her arm, heating her inside and out. "No. Take the job Sara. Don't worry about us."

'Don't worry about us?' Her brain screamed. What did that mean? This was Gil Grissom after all, the only person worse at relationships than she. She pulled away, unsure, unable to let the comment slide. "What do you mean?"

"From the moment you mentioned San Francisco, I knew that you'd never come back. Not for good anyway. Besides," His voice became teasing, "You were always more of an ocean kind a girl, not a desert one. Like me I guess."

Now she was just confused. She had no clue what he was trying to say with his cryptic remarks.

Seeing her bewilderment Grissom decided to help her out for once. "I knew you weren't coming back so I made plans." He smiled at her baffled look. "I wanted to wait until_you_ knew you weren't coming back before I mentioned them. You know, so it would be almost like it was your own decision." Sara scrunched up her nose and pinched him again. Smirking, he continued, "I've been so busy at work because I resigned. I've been tying up loose ends, waiting for you figure out what I already knew."

Sara was unable to keep the happiness out of her voice. "And just what did you know that I didn't?"

"That it is time to move on. To move away, to finally start our lives together completely." He said it so matter-of-factly that Sara felt stupid now; realizing that all along Gil had planned to come with her. He couldn't be away from her anymore than she from him. Their co-dependence made her grin. Once upon a time, they had been two very independent, separate beings. Now, since Natalie-no, since they got married, they truly were one. She said the only thing that came to mind.

"Thank you."

Gil noticed for the first time since he sat down how dark it was, almost night now. The air was getting colder and she shivered. He stood up. "Come on." He reached for her hand and pulled her up next to him. "We can come back tomorrow and build sandcastles together. In the daylight." He added. They wrapped their arms around each other and stared out at the darkness. Safe in his arms, Sara felt the last of her fears melt away. For the first time in months she felt whole again. Ready. Completely happy.

She kissed him and he kissed back hard, running his fingers up her arms. Two weeks was much to long to be apart, but soon their separation would all be over for good. The kiss deepened, growing hot and wet and greedy. Gil pulled Sara even closer to his body and slipped his tongue into her waiting mouth. She wrapped her arms around his neck. After a few minutes, Sara put her hands on his chest and gently pushed him away. After all, they _were_ at a public beach. In the darkness he could see her teasing, smiling eyes.

"Is that a flashlight in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?"

Grissom snorted with laughter, loving her. "Both."


End file.
